It all seemed a very long time ago when I said to my wife and shipmate, that I would like to make a go of a passage up the London River to view the tall ships which were due to congregate for a parade start to their seasonal voyaging. This year the series runs in a circuitous route round the Atlantic culminating in a grand parade of sail in Montreal in celebration of the 150th anniversary Canadian Confederation. The start was at Greenwich: Lt. General Wolfe lived here before sailing away to his death on the Plains of Abraham above the seaway…
As our departure approached we were enjoying a wonderful settled April, after a brilliant March (when I’d managed to get nearly all my varnishing done…), and it remained settled other than a blip due mid Easter week. We planned to be within the Limehouse bosom by then for it was decided to get away earlier.
Christobel taking it easy, off watch…
We enjoyed a sparkling sail to Gravesend after getting away from our Island YC mooring about two hours before high water, arriving nearly an hour after with a sluicing ebb endeavoring to bury the sailing club moorings. Dropping sail we safely moored under power… A club member had offered use of his mooring. A convivial supper was enjoyed!
Sunrise off Gravesend…
As soon as the tide neared its turn, we were off the next morning. The breeze had more west than north, even though the latter was forecasted. Traffic was light, but a ship movement was expected from the lock at Tilbury and a ‘big’ ship was on the move from the river berth beyond.
The engine was needed to clear the Tilbury landing stage and passenger terminal: we lost wind! But, a little later, crossing the channel on a tack the jib halyard decided it wasn’t going to play anymore as it dropped nonchalantly onto the deck! The head cringle seizing had failed. In a jiffy I had the sail on deck where it more or less put itself … and bent on the cruising chute halyard … service resumed and the Mate shut down the engine again, which I’d called for, Tilbury Lock loomed!
In the channel ahead a large ship had suffered engine failure (been there when at sea…) and was by then being shepherded by two tugs. We went past well to the ‘south’ on the ‘wrong’ side. The sailing settled into long and short tacks before being able to sweep round Broadness. The tack took us to just below the QE2 Bridge. The rdio had been spluttering about a couple of tall ships and the first was sighted way astern over Stone Ness. Long Reach was a perfect zig-zag tack and half way up, we were passed by the Hendrica Bartelds, a Dutch triple masted schooner.
The Hendrica Bartelds…
Progress was excellent and a noon (ish) arrival at Greenwich YC looked good. It wasn’t until near Gallions Point that the next ship appeared. This was the Christian Radich, a proper fully rigged ship built as a training vessel by Norway in 1937. She made a fabulous sight on the tideway.
With the Christian Radich off Woolwich…
It wasn’t long before we called the barrier, went though and moored to the GYC trot buoys. I’ve often tried to contact the powers to be here, but have never received a response. Pitching up seems to be the order of the day. No one bothered us!
During the afternoon we ‘enjoyed’ the numerous wash waves from the fast ferries and the sight of various ships coming up on the flood.
The Vera Cruz, a 1400’s caravel under the Portuguese flag.
The waterfront along this reach Bugsbys, had undergone, and continues to, huge changes from when I was last here in August 2016. Flats have blotted out a pleasing view of the Dome and across the river along the Silver Town shore building is furious.
The next day we slipped and set sail, managing to reach the entrance to Limehouse under wind power alone. An ‘exciting’ event took place a as we berthed: the Mate decided to try and walk on water. The experiment failed – divine intervention was having a day off… Two women, a group of children and two men witnessed it. The women wanted to know if she needed a hot drink … pointing out that my immediate intention was to get her out, they watched! Help, not a B- chance! I have to say I didn’t shout for it…
The inflated life jacket after its ‘testing’ by the mate … after a shower she was none the worse…
Whilst in London we’d a series of planned events. The British Museum, a local walk, A visit to Greenwich, attend the Passion Play in Trafalgar Square and family evening meets … a cousin and a handful of nephews and nieces with our ‘boy’…
Cousin Roger and wife Judy aboard Whimbrel before dining at The Grapes…
The visit to Greenwich included a visit to the Queen’s House a place visited long ago, but not since a revamping. We found that it lacked a little something. the pictures are fine, but various rooms could have been fitted out as they were when in use. the building has had varied life from palace to school. Interestingly we were able to visit the crypt beneath St Alfege’s, Greenwich, and view the Wolfe family vault.
A period wood turner at work making thole pins.
Greenwich water front on the Saturday…
A Thames dock scene from around 100 years ago…
Finally, leaving day arrived, but not before we’d attended St Anne’s, Limehouse, for an Easter service. We locked out around 1500 and made sail, reaching over the still flooding tide for we wanted to make Erith by around 1900.
Approaching Deptford Creek ships underway were spied. It was here that the main sheet spun one of my sailing seats into the river … I last saw it disappearing under a ferry’s … I’m now in the process of making a new one!
A busier waterway was enjoyed…
One little ship, the Jante, rounded our stern and crept along beside us for a little while before pulling away. Cameras clicked and we were saluted!
Goose winging into Greenwich Reach…
British ships were conspicuous by their absence – The Earl of Pembroke gladdened the heart…
We soon sailed clear of the melee of vessels coming up from Woolwich where the majority of ships had been berthed during their stay. The flotilla was beginning to form up as we rounded Blackwall Point, chased by several other motoring yachts – one of which, a big one, came round our stern and then across the bow. I muttered as the mate huffed and puffed. Prat!
Approaching the barrier we saw the first of the ships and one after another they passed us by on our sail to Erith. It was a grand sail and the good mate did more than her share as I got a bolognese sauce underway below … it sat seeping as we swept down the reaches as wind and tide lifted us close to 7 knots at times!
The Hydrogen dropped her passengers at Woolwich and ‘joined’ the fleet sailing with the Blue Clipper…
Along the route hundreds of people were watching. Massed, of course in central areas, but scattered groups were seen, including around the lighthouse at Margaret Ness. Off Erith Pier, ‘loaded’ with excited folk, a call was made for vessels to sound horns … so we tested ours to loud cheering…
Ah yes, I did enjoy a beer as the stream continued passing and later, a coffee, well laced as several more passed in the evenings gathering gloom.
The next morning, we were up with the lark and sailed for home.
It was grand.